Wnt Signaling Promotes Breast Cancer by Blocking ITCH-Mediated Degradation of YAP/TAZ Transcriptional Coactivator WBP2.

Cross-talk between the Hippo and Wnt pathways has been implicated recently in breast cancer development, but key intersections have yet to be fully defined. Here we report that WBP2, a transcription coactivator that binds the Hippo pathway transcription factor YAP/TAZ, contributes to Wnt signaling and breast cancer pathogenesis. Clinically, overexpression of WBP2 in breast cancer specimens correlated with malignant progression and poor patient survival. In breast cancer cells, nuclear entry and interaction of WBP2 with ß-catenin was stimulated by Wnt3A, thereby activating TCF-mediated transcription and driving malignant invasive character. Mechanistic investigations showed WBP2 levels were controlled by the E3 ligase ITCH, which bound and target WBP2 for ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation. Accordingly, ITCH silencing could elevate WBP2 levels. Wnt signaling upregulated WBP2 by disrupting ITCH-WBP2 interactions via EGFR-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of WBP2 and TAZ/YAP competitive binding. Conversely, ITCH-mediated downregulation of WBP2 inhibited TCF/ß-catenin transcription, in vitro transformation, and in vivo tumorigenesis. We identified somatic mutations in ITCH, which impaired its ability to degrade WBP2 and to block its function in cancer, even while retaining binding capacity to WBP2. Thus, the Wnt pathway appeared to engage WBP2 primarily by affecting its protein stability. Our findings show how WBP2/ITCH signaling functions to link the intricate Wnt and Hippo signaling networks in breast cancer. Cancer Res; 76(21); 6278-89. ©2016 AACR.

Application of linker technique to trap transiently interacting protein complexes for structural studies.

Protein-protein interactions are key events controlling several biological processes. We have developed and employed a method to trap transiently interacting protein complexes for structural studies using glycine-rich linkers to fuse interacting partners, one of which is unstructured. Initial steps involve isothermal titration calorimetry to identify the minimum binding region of the unstructured protein in its interaction with its stable binding partner. This is followed by computational analysis to identify the approximate site of the interaction and to design an appropriate linker length. Subsequently, fused constructs are generated and characterized using size exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering experiments. The structure of the chimeric protein is then solved by crystallization, and validated both in vitro and in vivo by substituting key interacting residues of the full length, unlinked proteins with alanine. This protocol offers the opportunity to study crucial and currently unattainable transient protein interactions involved in various biological processes.

Structural basis for the modulation of the neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.6 by calmodulin.

The neuronal-voltage gated sodium channel (VGSC), Na(V)1.6, plays an important role in propagating action potentials along myelinated axons. Calmodulin (CaM) is known to modulate the inactivation kinetics of Na(V)1.6 by interacting with its IQ motif. Here we report the crystal structure of apo-CaM:Na(V)1.6IQ motif, along with functional studies. The IQ motif of Na(V)1.6 adopts an α-helical conformation in its interaction with the C-lobe of CaM. CaM uses different residues to interact with Na(V)1.6IQ motif depending on the presence or absence of Ca²âº. Three residues from Na(V)1.6, Arg1902, Tyr1904 and Arg1905 were identified as the key common interacting residues in both the presence and absence of Ca²âº. Substitution of Arg1902 and Tyr1904 with alanine showed a reduced rate of Na(V)1.6 inactivation in electrophysiological experiments in vivo. Compared with other CaM:Na(V) complexes, our results reveal a different mode of interaction for CaM:Na(V)1.6 and provides structural insight into the isoform-specific modulation of VGSCs.

Linkers in the structural biology of protein-protein interactions.

Linkers or spacers are short amino acid sequences created in nature to separate multiple domains in a single protein. Most of them are rigid and function to prohibit unwanted interactions between the discrete domains. However, Gly-rich linkers are flexible, connecting various domains in a single protein without interfering with the function of each domain. The advent of recombinant DNA technology made it possible to fuse two interacting partners with the introduction of artificial linkers. Often, independent proteins may not exist as stable or structured proteins until they interact with their binding partner, following which they gain stability and the essential structural elements. Gly-rich linkers have been proven useful for these types of unstable interactions, particularly where the interaction is weak and transient, by creating a covalent link between the proteins to form a stable protein-protein complex. Gly-rich linkers are also employed to form stable covalently linked dimers, and to connect two independent domains that create a ligand-binding site or recognition sequence. The lengths of linkers vary from 2 to 31 amino acids, optimized for each condition so that the linker does not impose any constraints on the conformation or interactions of the linked partners. Various structures of covalently linked protein complexes have been described using X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance and cryo-electron microscopy techniques. In this review, we evaluate several structural studies where linkers have been used to improve protein quality, to produce stable protein-protein complexes, and to obtain protein dimers.